Digital Boom

Author: Ahmed Maher

  • Hack Alert: GoDaddy data breach exposes 1.2 million user accounts

    Hack Alert: GoDaddy data breach exposes 1.2 million user accounts

    Web hosting and domain seller giant GoDaddy has reported a data breach that exposed 1.2 million customers’ data to hackers.

    GoDaddy’s chief information security officer Demetrius Comes, said, “the company detected unauthorized access to its systems where it hosts and manages its customers’ WordPress servers.”

    WordPress is the world’s popular content management system “CMS” used by 70% of the internet publishers.

    Godaddy has more than 20 million customers worldwide.

    GoDaddy said, “the unauthorized person used a compromised password to get access to GoDaddy’s systems around September 6.”

    The company added it discovered the breach last week on November 17. It’s not clear if the compromised password was protected with two-factor authentication.

    The breach affected 1.2 million active and inactive managed WordPress users, with their email addresses and customer numbers exposed.

    GoDaddy said this exposure could put users at greater risk of phishing attacks.

    The company said that active customers had their sFTP credentials (for file transfers) and the usernames and passwords for their WordPress databases, which store all the user’s content, exposed in the breach.

    In some cases, the customer’s SSL (HTTPS) private key was exposed, which, if abused, could allow an attacker to impersonate a customer’s website or services.

    GoDaddy said it’s reset customer WordPress passwords and private keys and is in the process of issuing new SSL certificates.

  • Google Analytics is not working worldwide

    Google Analytics is not working worldwide

    Google Analytics (GA) is not working worldwide after reports that it stopped recording real-time hits. Website owners noticed a sudden drop in Google Analytics real-time reports to zero and it’s not moving up.

    The global Downdetector website is also displaying a spike in GA down reports.

    Google Analytics is not working across all platforms, web and mobile apps. GA is down since 9:35 AM GMT +2.

    Many websites’ owners rely 100% on Google Analytics to track traffic, right now, they are totally unable to see who is on their sites.

    Update: The service is back up after 40 minutes of being offline.

  • How to write ‘Performance Marketing Manager’ job description?

    How to write ‘Performance Marketing Manager’ job description?

    Performance marketing is one of the most trending functions in any startup or growing business; it plays a significant role in growth. Sourcing high-quality applications for the performance marketing role is crucial. Use the following job description template when hiring for a Performance Marketing Manager.

    Reporting to: Head of Marketing, Marketing Director, Chief Marketing Officer.

    Job Brief

    We are hiring a Performance Marketing Manager with a successful track record to drive revenue, user acquisition, and brand awareness.

    Main Responsibilities of a Performance Marketing Manager:

    • Creating and executing a solid performance marketing strategy & execution plan
    • Developing and managing digital prospecting and remarketing campaigns
    • Managing budgets and campaigns across all digital channels to drive strong return on investment and efficient CAC
    • Ensuring successful planning, execution, and optimization for key traffic KPIs via paid, organic & own media channels
    • Identifying and testing new channels to continue to meet or exceed established critical metrics
    • Working closely with the management to share funnel conversion improvement ideas, feedback & present results.

    Key Requirements

    • You have a degree in Marketing, Business Administration, or a related field.
    • You have prior experience in a similar role, as well as experience building effective multi-channel marketing strategies, including affiliate marketing, PPC, SEO, social media, and other digital channels.
    • You have a solid campaign and channel analysis and reporting expertise, including Google Analytics experience.
    • You possess excellent analytical skills and leverage data, metrics, analytics, and consumer behavior trends to drive actionable insights & recommendations.
    • You are a highly goal-oriented individual and have excellent communication skills.
    • You are open-minded, curious, and a strong problem solver.

    What is Performance Marketing?

    Performance marketing is a type of digital marketing where advertisers pay publishers (affiliates) only when a specific action, such as a sale or lead, is completed. It is also known as pay-for-performance or cost-per-action (CPA) marketing. This type of marketing differs from traditional advertising, such as display advertising or brand advertising, where advertisers pay upfront for ad space or airtime regardless of the number of conversions or sales.

    In performance marketing, advertisers partner with publishers, also known as affiliates, who promote the advertiser’s products or services to their audience. The affiliate is then rewarded with a commission for every sale or lead generated through their promotion. This creates a win-win situation for both the advertiser and the affiliate, as the advertiser only pays for results. The affiliate is incentivized to promote products or services that convert well.

    Performance marketing is becoming increasingly popular as it allows advertisers to track their marketing efforts’ return on investment (ROI) more effectively and makes data-driven decisions. It also allows for a more targeted approach to marketing, as advertisers can focus on specific actions that are most important to their business. Additionally, performance marketing is cost-effective as it eliminates the risk of paying for ad space or airtime that doesn’t convert.

  • Snap to launch Creator Studio in Riyadh

    Snap to launch Creator Studio in Riyadh

    Snap Inc. has announced that it will launch a Creator Studio in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 2022 to support its highly engaged local community in delivering new experiences on Snapchat.

    The company has recently been investing in such studios in key international markets as a means to better serve local talent and business partners, including its growing creator ecosystems of augmented reality (AR) Lens developers, verified users, and local media publishers.

    Riyadh will be the second location globally to house a Snap Creator Studio

    Riyadh will be the second location globally to house a Snap Creator Studio following the launch of a similar location in Paris, France. Snap has already confirmed that the two studios will be followed by the opening of other regional studios in the future.

    83% of Snapchatters in KSA now use augmented reality on a weekly basis to communicate, the highest use case in the world

    The Creator Studio in Riyadh will engage current and future creators to showcase user-generated content and AR experiences built with Snap platforms, formats, and hardware. The company will leverage its global network of creatives and technical experts to evangelize new use cases. The studio will further provide in-person and virtual opportunities to train creative and technical talent. Snap will provide advice, resourcing, and investments to support creators within the local ecosystem to prototype and test new ideas, as well as incentivize creators to innovate with new content and AR tools.

    Hussein Freijeh, General Manager for MENA at Snap Inc., said: “For years, Snap has been improving the way people live and communicate through visual self-expression and storytelling. The decision to open a Creator Studio in Saudi Arabia reflects the level of creativity we see on Snapchat amongst local users, the high levels of engagement on the app, and our desire to deepen the level of support that we can provide to the creator community and our business partners.”

    Snapchat has a monthly addressable reach of over 19.5mn in KSA, with the Creator Studio to inspire, educate, and invest in local creator ecosystem

    The Creator Studio in Riyadh will support all creators delivering experiences for Snapchat. Notable examples include Lens creators, those producing video content for Discover and Snapchat’s newest entertainment platform Spotlight, as well as developers focusing on Snapchat offerings such as Games, Minis, Layers, and more.

    In Saudi Arabia, Snapchat’s Official Lens Creator community includes artists, designers, developers, and more who share an enthusiasm for redefining the world of camera creativity. Meanwhile, user-generated content is being produced by a large and thriving ecosystem in Saudi Arabia.

    Publisher brands will also benefit from the Creator Studio. Saudi publishers see the value in their collaboration with Snapchat via Discover, tapping into Snap’s deep expertise in made-for-mobile content, while reaching an audience that is extremely engaged on the platform. In Saudi Arabia today, more people watch content on Discover than any of the top ten TV channels. Snap currently works with many premium content partners from Rotana Media Group to MBC, Saudi Broadcasting Authority, UTURN Entertainment, and many more.

    “We deeply value these creator partners, and are grateful for all the exciting new experiences they build and bring to Snapchat,” adds Freijeh.

    Through Snapchat, these creators can engage a monthly addressable reach of over 19.5mn individuals in Saudi Arabia. Snapchat now reaches 90% of 13-34-year-olds in the Kingdom. Not only is this a large community, but one that is highly engaged. Approximately 90% of Snapchatters in Saudi Arabia are engaging with Lenses on a daily basis, and 83% of those on Snapchat in the Kingdom use AR on a weekly basis to communicate–the highest use case in the world for Snapchat. According to data from Snap, over 80% of consumers in Saudi Arabia believe that AR will be both useful and important in the next five years.

    “In Saudi Arabia, there’s a real understanding of Snapchat’s full value proposition, whether in communication, entertainment, commerce, or elsewhere,” concludes Freijeh. “Saudi Arabia is an incredibly exciting and dynamic market in terms of media, technology, and creativity. That is only being bolstered now as more businesses move to the digital economy and individuals spend more of their time online. The new Creator Studio will thus help inspire the next generation of creators about the possibilities of using the Snap camera across the arts, education, media, and cultural sectors.”

  • 71% of parents in Saudi Arabia are on Snapchat

    71% of parents in Saudi Arabia are on Snapchat

    Snapchat is not only the platform of choice of Millennial and Gen Z audiences in Saudi Arabia but also incredibly popular amongst parents, according to a recent study by Snap Inc. conducted with Kantar. Snapchat already has a monthly addressable reach of 19.5 million in the Kingdom and is the platform of choice for many Saudi’s.

    The study has found that 71% of parents in Saudi Arabia now use Snapchat and that advertising on the platform plays an influential role in their purchasing decisions. The findings suggest that Snapchat encourages responsible conversations among family members on their purchase decisions. Among these parents, almost 9 in 10 feel positive about the advertising they see on Snapchat across product categories, and over 80% state that this advertising influences their purchase decisions. Accordingly, more than 9 in 10 take action after seeing an ad that interests them. This is inclusive of clicking on an ad directly, reading product reviews online, or asking friends and family members.

    Snapchat parents are also quite democratic in including other family members when making purchasing decisions. A majority of Snapchat parents claim that their children influence their purchase decisions in some way, and most parents with teenage or adult children rely on their kids to make purchases on behalf of the household. The study found that parents with teenage children allow the teens to shop for the household regularly for technology products (61%), mobile apps and streaming services (73%), and household goods (47%).

    The study reinforces the results of the Consumer AR Saudi Arabia Report 2021, which amongst other insights, revealed very high engagement on Snapchat for the age bracket of 35 and up in Saudi Arabia–often more than in other global markets.

    Abdulla Alhammadi, Regional Business Lead at Snap Inc., said: “Regardless of age, studies like this continue to reinforce the social nature of the Snapchat platform. Rather than a fragmented advertising model that caters to different age groups through different mediums, Snapchat delivers great value by reaching parents, alongside their teenage and adult children, on a single platform.”

    The study shows that Snapchat provides advertisers with a compelling platform to communicate with millions of Saudi Arabian parents, helping brands to drive sales and increase awareness of their business. The combination of the platform’s innovative solutions and tools, along with a highly engaged audience, delivers an advertising experience that is truly unique to Snapchat.

  • Wuzzuf’s Ameer Sherif Steps Down as CEO, Buckles Up for ITIDA

    Wuzzuf’s Ameer Sherif Steps Down as CEO, Buckles Up for ITIDA

    BasharSoft the parent company of “Wuzzuf and Forasna” recruitment platforms, has announced that the founder, Ameer Sherif has stepped down as CEO and moved to the Chairman seat after spending 12 years leading the team.

    The move was inline with Ameer’s new venture in the VC zone, as he joined Egypt’s Information Technology Industry Development Agency “ITIDA” as a Board Member which responsible for developing Egypt’s tech and innovation sector.

    Ameer was recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2019.

    He aims to invest more time and effort into supporting the entrepreneurship, innovation, and youth employment ecosystems in Egypt, Africa, and the Middle East. Ameer said to MENABytes.

    Wuzzuf has appointed Sherif Hashem as CEO, Sherif joined BasharSoft in mid-2020 to lead corporate development and investor relations.

    Prior to joining BasharSoft, Sherif worked on high-value M&A transactions including joint ventures, consolidations and exits as well as capital markets transactions in Egypt and the UAE. Reflecting on the new role, Sherif said “I am grateful to Ameer and our board for their trust in me and I am excited about what is to come. Ameer and the team here have built something really unique with this company.”

    Source: MENABytes.

  • Snap launches ‘Open Your Snapchat’ in UAE, Saudi Arabia

    Snap launches ‘Open Your Snapchat’ in UAE, Saudi Arabia

    Snap Inc. recently kicked off its new B2B global marketing campaign, ‘Open Your Snapchat’, in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, showcasing the exceptional results and reach that businesses can achieve through the Snap Camera.

    The campaign showcases how brand partners across different verticals in the region are leveraging the full power of augmented reality (AR). On the campaign landing page, visitors can try out sponsored Lens from 16 brand partners, including regional activations done by adidas, Ounass, Nestle, stc, and StarzPlay.

    Here are a few of the highlights from the local Lens activations, delivering real business results powered by augmented reality:

    adidas

    adidas collaborated with Snapchat to help raise awareness of its new regional flagship location, and to get Snapchatters to talk about the brand and its new location. The partnership aimed to provide customers with a unique and engaging augmented reality experience, highlighting what they can expect when they visit the store. Consequently, a Portal Lens was developed, inviting Snapchatters to step foot right into the action, encouraging them to head to the store to experience it all in real life. The Portal Lens achieved 3.4 million impressions.

    Ounass

    To encourage customers across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to explore its beauty and fine jewelry categories during Eid al-Fitr, Ounass shared an AR Try-On Lens with a selection of women’s fine jewelry and a men’s Gucci hat alongside a message wishing their customers and friends an Eid Mubarak. To maintain their share of voice on Snapchat during this high-conversion period, they ran a multi-product strategy that included this AR Lens and Story Ads, Snap Ads, Collection Ads, and Dynamic Ads. The AR Try-On Lens drove 3x ROI for Ounass.

    NESCAFÉ® Dolce Gusto®

    NESCAFÉ® Dolce Gusto® partnered with Snap to launch “Your Coffee Shop at Home” campaign, inviting Snapchatters to experience different coffee machines and create their own “coffee corner” in their homes through a dedicated AR Lens. The campaign also allowed Snapchatters to purchase their preferred machine and get it delivered to their doorstep. Reaching 6.2 million Snapchatters in KSA, UAE, and Kuwait, the campaign helped drive all measured brand metrics in a positive direction. Due to the success achieved, the AR Lens experience is now available on the NESCAFÉ® Dolce Gusto® website for anyone looking to buy the machine.

    stc

    stc partnered with Snap to help Saudis express their pride on Saudi National Day and celebrate this special day in a unique way. For this purpose, Snap built an AR Lens that placed Snapchatters on a top-view balcony in the capital of Riyadh, bringing their backgrounds to life with fireworks and a few of the country’s landmarks. Running alongside Snap Ads and a Snap Filter on National Day, the AR Lens reached 4.55 million people.

    STARZPLAY

    As part of STARZPLAY’s initiative to announce and raise awareness of their partnership with Snapchat, the company launched an AR Lens, turning Snapchatters into anime characters. It ran alongside Snap Ads, Story Ads, and Commercials. This campaign contributed to a 32% increase in new users.

    Ibrahim Al Qurashi

    Bringing a whole new AR experience to Snapchatters during the holy month of Ramadan, Ibrahim Al Qurashi partnered with Snapchat to allow users to walk into the store virtually through a portal lens, allowing them to choose their favorite scent right from the app. The campaign reached an outstanding 7.8M unique Snapchatters across KSA.

  • Google Play Announces The Android Dev Summit is back!

    Google Play Announces The Android Dev Summit is back!

    Google Play has announced today that The Android Dev Submit is back. Taking place October 27-28, the annual conference celebrating the Android developer community – the latest updates in Android development directly from the Android team and participate in the virtual fun with your peers.

    The event is a good opportunity to connect with Android team and Android developers around the world.

  • Digital Boom secures $20,000 seed investment

    Digital Boom secures $20,000 seed investment

    We would like to announce that we’ve received US $20,000 in seed investment from family and friends. The investment will help us boost growth in editorial efforts.

  • Jordan to activate digital identity for citizens in days

    Jordan to activate digital identity for citizens in days

    The digital identity program for Jordanian citizens will roll out in the coming few days. Said Jordan’s Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship, Ahmed Al-Hanandeh.

    The digital identity aims to facilitate Jordanian citizens’ day-to-day requests such as issuing or renewing passports, national ID, official documents without the need to leave home.

    Every Jordanian citizen enrolled in the digital identity program will also need to create an electronic signature to use in all digital touchpoints with public sectors except land and other critical sectors as it requires physical attendance.

    Jordan’s government will gradually roll out the digital identity program across the country according to citizens’ needs; for example, citizens who have monthly requests from one of the public sectors will be first to enroll in the digital identity program.